Presenting research reflexivity in your PhD thesis

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide a practical illustration of how a researcher can evidence reflexivity in their thesis. I present the reflexive stance and journey I made in completing my PhD study using constructivist grounded theory. The intention here is to depict how I began my journey as a novice nurse researcher navigating the swamps of research and finally have the epistemological courage to sign off as a full-fledged researcher. Hopefully, by exploring how the researcher role and researcher reflexivity were addressed in this constructivist grounded theory, it will illuminate the way for others to present reflexivity in their thesis. I position myself with others who agree that an openness about the situatedness and a transparency of the relationship of the knower to that of the subjects of inquiry is important. This paper therefore ensures the capture of my thoughts as a researcher whilst undertaking the research as part of my PhD candidature. Predominantly it depicts the milieu that influenced the choices and decisions made such that the reader can make sense of the journey undertaken. By presenting it as a journal article, it is also hoped that it helps the novice researcher, about to embark on their journey of discovery, to think more deeply about reflexivity.

“I don’t do it for myself, I do it for them”: A grounded theory study of South Asians’ experiences of making lifestyle change after myocardial infarction

“…The lead researcher's position as a South Asian probably enabled a greater degree of entrée with respondents from this community, irrespective of their particular religion, and she worked closely with the team of researchers to ensure that there was robust discussion around the development of codes, concepts and categories. The narrative of the participants was made explicit throughout comparative analysis, whilst simultaneously ascertaining, as an aspect of reflexivity (Davis 2020), that the researcher's presence was maintained. We have also specified how and why the participants in the study were selected to ensure fittingness and delineated the scope of the research as well as contextualised the setting for the theory that was generated.…”

A microgel-Pickering emulsion route to colloidal molecules with temperature-tunable interaction sites

“…The (nominal) D c of the DLD device used in the present paper was D c = 1.18 mm (ESI †), as estimated by the empirical expression in ref. 107. This D c was large enough to suppress lateral displacement of the excess microgels while still allowing for displacement of the colloidal molecules.…”

Positioning the researcher for studying Indian immigrant children's asthma in New Zealand: a reflective account

“…Furthermore, communicating researchers' positionality enhances the study's credibility by increasing transparency in research decisions. However, there has been much debate about how to incorporate reflexivity into a specific study, and the writing approach used to demonstrate reflexivity is yet another source of intellectual tension (Davis, 2020; McGrath, 2021).…”

“…Positionality and reflexivity in constructivist grounded theory CGT, the interpretivist version of GT, requires the researcher to be reflective throughout the research process to ensure the rigour of the study (Charmaz, 2014). Reflexivity refers to critical self-reflection of the researcher's inner self (Davis, 2020). Acknowledging the positionality of the researcher through a reflective approach has become an important aspect in the expanding field of qualitative research and particularly in CGT (Davis, 2020;Pitard, 2017).…”

“…However, there has been much debate about how to incorporate reflexivity into a specific study, and the writing approach used to demonstrate reflexivity is yet another source of intellectual tension (Davis, 2020;McGrath, 2021). It is not uncommon for novice CGT researchers to face challenges in developing reflective tools, such as memos, journal entries, or field notes, because they may not know where to begin or what to include (Davis, 2020). Therefore, it is critical to publish unedited reflective accounts to guide novice CGT researchers toward effective reflexive writing practices.…”